Date published: Monday 27 March 2023

Wales Air Ambulance is delighted to have been chosen as the Ascona Group’s (‘Ascona’) Charity Partner for the next 12 months.

 

Ascona, one of the UK’s fastest-growing forecourt operators, has announced the Wales Air Ambulance as its Charity partner for the 2023/24 financial year.

 

The Wales Air Ambulance relies on charitable donations to raise £8 million every year to keep its helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

 

To celebrate this partnership, Ascona have generously made an initial donation of £10,000.

 

Over the next 12 months, 25p donations will be available to be paid via card machines across all Ascona’s sites in Wales, and the company has committed to match each donation up to the total value of £50,000. They will also be promoting the charity’s ‘Lifesaving Lottery’.

 

In addition, the Wales Air Ambulance will share in the proceeds of Nisa Retail’s ‘Making a Difference Locally’ fund, which is expected to amount to a further £10,000 in contribution from purchases made at Ascona sites in Wales.

 

Ascona anticipates raising over £100,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance, through all of the proposed fundraising activities.

 

The partnership will help to support the Welsh charity in their mission to deliver lifesaving medical care to people across Wales, whenever and wherever they need it.

 

Darren Briggs, Chief Executive of Ascona Group commented: "Since we started Ascona back in 2011, supporting our local communities has been central to our culture so we are proud to support the Wales Air Ambulance Charity in their vital work as they continue to deliver lifesaving medical care to people across Wales.

"Over the years, we have raised and donated over £200,000 for many different charities that help Welsh communities and their people and with the Wales Air Ambulance as our charity partner for the next 12 months, we are truly excited to make a difference to such an iconic charity."

The Wales Air Ambulance offers advanced critical care across Wales which is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS Cymru). 

 

As a result, the service is consultant-led and is known as a ‘flying emergency department’, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient at the scene of an incident. This includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident. 

 

Siany Martin, Corporate Fundraiser at the Wales Air Ambulance, commented: "We are delighted that Ascona has selected us as their charity of the year. Despite the vital work our people carry out on a daily basis, we receive no direct funding, so we truly rely on the support from the people of Wales to make sure we can continue to serve them. Together with the rest of the team, I'd like to thank Darren and everyone at Ascona for their most generous donation and continued support.